12145/The Homework Assignment

The Homework Assignment
Date of Scene:	24 July 2022
Location:	Shaw Studios - Beach Retreat
Synopsis:	Following up on an assignment from Dream, Mike meets Kian to discuss the Terry in Wonderland situation.
Cast of Characters:	Michael Hannigan, Kian

---

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    Unlike earlier in the year, the Shaw Studios retreat is rather quiet this evening.  Sundays weren't really known for recording session requests so the studios at the retreat were being unused at the moment.  Consequently the guest quarters were not rented out either.  And without clients to entertain, most of the live in staff were away as well.  This leads to why Mike opted to stay here for the evening and perhaps why the location seemed like a good spot for having a small discussion.
    Mike stands on the second floor balcony of the staff quarters building.  As he watches the stray light being reflected on the moving waters.  He sips a bottle of water.
    The Screaming Whisper which he was made to be able to see stands motionless inside the room.  Still, quiet, and frankly kind of annoying the rockstar a little.  But no matter.  No one's sleeping in the building right now so there's little for Mike to be concerned with in regards to that tag along.

Kian has posed:
    Fortunately, Kían is good with directions, and he enjoys longer flights, so the flight up from Titans Tower isn't long—not by his standards, anyway.  He drops down out of the sky, to a perch on the balcony railing.
    He seems a bit more subdued than he had been in Wonderland… well, there was reason for excitability there.  "Kié, Mikel."  Still a little trouble with Earth names.  He's a work in progress.  "Do you have news?  Have you spoken with Terry in your dreams too?"
    Sounds like he has.  Rather than folding neatly, his wings twitch slightly, although he looks to be in no danger of falling off the railing.
    "Maybe you have an idea how to get him back?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    Seeing the bird man fly into view, Mike steps away from the balcony to allow Kian the option to step onto the actual floor of the area if he should desire.  A weak smile is offered to the Titan.  "Kian," he greets in return, giving the slightest of nods.
    The whole manner of presentation is keyed back.  No flair or anything to draw attention.  Perhaps it is because they're on the exterior of the second level of a modified residence.  Privacy walls only go so high.  But, the beach side of the property is free from the eyes walking along the street.
    "I wish I did see Terry," Mike admits, "Maybe it's too difficult with my—"  He pauses, frowning.  "Well.  I didn't see him. But—"
    He looks inside to the main room, looking over to the Screaming Whisper as he slides the door shut.  Blocking him out of the conversation.  "I did speak to someone.  And there is a chance.  I don't think a great one.  But a chance."

Kian has posed:
    Kían hops down off the railing and bows by way of greeting—and seems to relax a little.  "A small chance is better than no chance.  Jon said Terry wasn't fated to be there, but I don't see how anyone can know that.  But…."
    He sighs, and his wings sag a little.  "I'm getting tired of pulling Terry out of other realities, you know?"  And then he smiles, just a little.
    "I've spoken to him a couple times, in my dreams.  And while that helps, that's not enough.  So if you have any idea, just let me know what I can do to help make it happen."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    The musician gives a small chuckle to the mention of pulling Terry out of other realities.  Realities, trouble.  "Well, He is a fuzzy bundle of chaos," Mike points out.  "He's going to get in trouble now and then."
    The moment of reflection is stretched until Mike no longer can pull.  Eventually it slips from his fingers, retracting to where it no longer shades him from the task at hand.
    "Right."  He takes a moment to take another sip of his water before capping the bottle.   Once it is closed up, he sets it on a small patio table next to an unopened one.  Reaching for the unopened one, he turns and offers it over to Kian.
    "So, I was summoned by Dream last night," Mike starts, opting to go with the larger bit of news first, "and he wanted to know my observations on what was going on with Wonderland.  My observations of Terry, you, and the others."

Kian has posed:
    "By Dream," Kían repeats, as if that reminds him of something, but then he shakes his head clear.  Dreams and stories—too tenuous.
    "Of course.  Anything I can do to help.  I don't know what I can tell you from what I saw there.  Not much of it made sense.  I don't even know how we got out of there.  Someone… stopped me from staying with Terry."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    Mike tilts his head as Kian repeats Dream's name and pauses.  "He said he has asked several of you already," Mike allows.  "But most of them simply expressed the desire to save Terry and preserve Wonderland.  My response included."
    Mike holds the bottle out to Kian for a few more moments before he steps closer to Kian, making a show of setting it next to him should he change his mind.  He moves back over.  "He says there are alternatives.  But unfortunately what reasons we've given him are not enough justification for him to help in the manner we want.  Terry's actions stabilized it enough to where we even get to have this dialogue with him.  But in the end, his responsibility is maintaining the balance of dreams and Wonderland is a threat to it.  He can't just give us what we want simply because mortals desire it or it'll make his servants happy.  You need a different tactic."

Kian has posed:
    "That's what I would want, Terry back without destroying Wonderland.  It's what I said… would have said."
    This time, Kían accepts the bottle.  "Water?" he asks, not opening it yet, "or something stronger?"  The second is perhaps a bit hopeful.
    He frowns slightly.  "I don't know what I can tell you.  This is all about magic, and I don't know anything about that.  If anything, I'm made of science even more than most."
    He opens the bottle, and takes a sniff—a habit from his early days on Earth when he wasn't sure what he could and could not have.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    "Water," Mike confirms.  "I figure a long flight might make you thirsty.  Alcohol wouldn't help in the long run.  Also this building would not be the best place to sleep in tonight.  One of the guests is… disconcerting."
    He pauses while Kian inspects the contents of the bottle.  Mulling over the situation.
    "You may have been one of the ones he asked," Mike allows.  "I don't know who he spoke to.  But you were one of the ones he asked me about.  And one doesn't always remember what goes on in their dreams.  But either way.  Sentimentality and simply asking's not going to work in this case.  What is being asked of him is a big ask.  And big asks usually require compromise from those asking."
    Mike turns to pick up his own bottle of water once more.  "When it became apparent he wasn't going to help based off of the arguments already presented to him.  I asked if there was anything we could do to make him consider the alternatives.  Something that could help him with maintaining the balance of the Dreaming."
    Mike unscrews the cap of his bottle.  "So, that's what he's tasked me with finding out.  If there's something of that nature you guys can offer.  There must be something that can benefit his realm out of this."

Kian has posed:
    Kían takes a long swig.  "I usually do remember my dreams," he says, re-capping the bottle.  "But I'm used to dreaming with others.  They're usually shared.  That's how Gar and I are able to talk to Terry.  He can't always get free, I know, he has a whole reality to support.  But sometimes we can get a little time together.  That helps.  A lot."
    Another long pull on his water.
    "I'm told that's not common on Earth, sharing dreams, and being aware inside them.  It's normal where I'm from.  I don't know, is that maybe something that can help?  I don't know what the limits are.  I've only ever used them to spend more time with my friends and family, except for a brief period where I was having dream therapy.  And now to stay in touch with Terry."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    "There are shared dreams," Mike replies.  "Terry and I first met in one actually.  There was a lot of traversing through societies that lived in the dreams.  Ones that don't require a single person to maintain.  They just existed."
    Mike smiles.  "It was a bit of a mess what we got tossed into.  I met a few of the Titans there during…."
    The musician pauses.
    Wait a minute.
    "Just.  How many have you pulled into one of those shared dreams?  Is everyone you pull in lucid?  And how long could you keep the dream going?"

Kian has posed:
    "I've only really dreamed here with Gar and Terry.  Lucid, you mean conscious within them?  We all were.  I haven't tried it with more than them, because they're the ones I'm closest to."  Kían thinks a moment.  "I really don't know how many non-telepaths I can take with me.  I would need physical contact with all of them, I can't reach their minds like I can my people's.  Back home, I think maybe six or seven?  It's a lot easier since everyone there can join their own mind to the dream, I don't have to carry them.  I've heard of dreams shared by many, and carrying on as people joined and left them, running unbroken for days or longer, but I've never been in one like that."
    He bites his lower lip, thinking.  "I suppose the longest I could keep it up would be for however long I can stay asleep.  And it will work best with those I'm already close to.  But I couldn't bring too many, since I would have to share the dream for everyone."
    He looks up, very slightly hopefully.  "Do you have an idea?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    Mike gives a quirk of a smile.  "I think it might be something to build off of."  He shifts his positioning, putting himself between the gap of the chair and side table on his end in order to lean against the wall behind him.  "Okay.  In the briefest of explanations.  Terry and I met when another sorceror was screwing around with dreams.  And he was pulling people in with an artifact that had been placed in the dream world.  If that guy was left alone, we could probably be assured that this balance Dream is pushing for would have been thrown off.  There was a hell of a time resolving it and I could easily say I wouldn't have been able to do it by myself."
    He pauses to take a breath, his words almost rambling in the presentation as the idea comes to mind.  "So… that artifact's gone now so it won't be pulling you guys in.  But if something like that were to occur again.  And you're able to pull in reinforcements to help resolve the issue on both sides of the problem."  Mike chuckles.  "We'd quite literally be making a Dream Team."

Kian has posed:
    Kían's eyes widen.  "I… could try.  It would help to know beforehand who I would need to bring in.  And unless they're also telepaths, I would need to sleep in physical contact with them.  And I really don't know how many I can…."
    He trails off, as some fleeting thought about doing rather than analyzing crosses his mind.
    "I can try.  I will try," he says decisively.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    "Well that's the thing," Mike allows.  "This is not a solution that can be done by just one person.  It'll be a team decision that is certain.  Terry as part of this team would probably be necessary.  He's got the most riding on this so he should have say in the matter."
    Mike gives a slight nod, expression seeming a bit lightened at the prospect of hope.  "But if you can get Terry and enough of the others on board with this idea and be willing to step forward to help protect the Dreaming from outside threats to its balance—well, I think we might have a chance to sway things.  But, it's something that should be discussed promptly.  Dream expects a report soon."

Kian has posed:
    "You mean, when the balance between the dream world and this world is off, we would…"  Kían shakes his hand vaguely.  "…go in and fix it?  In exchange for Terry being able to leave?  For him to come back to us?  Yes, of course, and maybe we can figure out something more permanent too."
    Probably Kían doesn't fully grasp what this might entail—but to get Terry back, he'd agree to it anyway.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    Mike tilts his head.  "That's about right.  I suspect he'll probably want a representative from his side in the group as well to make sure things are kept in the realm's best interests.  But yes.  That."
    A glance is given through the sliding door at the Screaming Whisper that is still just standing there.  Mike's smile fades.  "Now Kian.  As we talk about this, you need to keep in mind that 'Balance' is the key word.  Nightmares count as dreams too.  And as unpleasant as they might be, they serve purpose.  If some sorceror made it to where everyone was having LSD flavored happy dreams 24-7, would you be able to bring the nightmares back?"
    Mike pauses to allow Kian a moment to consider that point.  "You should have an answer for that before you commit to this idea."

Kian has posed:
    "I… don't know?" Kían admits after a moment's thought.  "When a dream starts to fall, someone usually catches it and restores it to at least harmlessness.  I would be very inclined to do the same.  I don't know.  My reaction will be to calm the bad dream, and I don't know if I can resist that in the pressure of the moment.  It's nothing I've even needed to do before."
    He sips his water, thinking.  "Maybe one of the dreamers who goes with me…?" he suggests.  "To be fair, I will be busy maintaining the connection with the other dreamers, and with whoever is my contact in the waking world.  One complication too many and I could be forcibly awakened at the wrong time."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    As Kian admits to not being sure, Mike grows silent.  There's a long draw of air, chest rising to illustrate the effectiveness of the pull.  His head tilts back, resting upon the wall behind him.
    The air is slowly released from Mike's lungs.  "Well.  It's better we know this now than when trying to negotiate with the suggestion.  That does seem like a good question to pose to others when seeing if anyone would be willing to commit to this idea."
    The bottle in his hand crinkles with the added pressure placed upon its sides.  "Okay.  Let's pose another question.  In the situation I described, If your assignment was only to allow the others into the dream and maintain that connection.  Would you give in to temptation to interfere with a teammate's task of accomplishing their mission?"

Kian has posed:
    Kían blinks twice.  "I… hope not.  It would depend on if they were in trouble.  If I thought they were in trouble."
    He sets his bottle back on the table and goes to lean on the railing, looking up into the sky.  "I… you should know how alien all this is to me.  Nothing like this happens on my worlds.  That's why I chose to return here, even after Terry opened up a way for me to go home.  I'm needed here more than I am there.  But that doesn't mean I've gotten used to it yet, or that I know how I will react under pressure.  I'm still learning to trust my instincts.  Qokh, I'm still learning if I even can trust my instincts."
    And then he turns around, facing Michael directly.  "But I know this is for Terry tenár'h.  I will do anything I can to bring him back safely, and to keep him here.  I can only hope that my best efforts are good enough."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    Mike gives a small smile.  "All right.  We've got something to work with still.  Protecting a teammate's not the same as interfering with what they're doing.  And yes.  I get how weird this is.  I've been dealing with the dream power stuff for about nine years and I just found out about the Dream connection yesterday."
    He pauses.  Come to think of it, the book in his head's been around that long too.  "Or is it remember?" Mike furrows his brows in thought for a few moments before he gives a shrug, shaking his head.  "Something to figure out later."
    Pale eyes set on Kian again.  "I want Terry back too.  If we can get this to a workable idea, I will back it the best I can."
    The cap on the bottle is fiddled with.  "Um.  Speaking of Terry.  I think.  He, and Gar should be the next ones to bring this up with.  I think Terry being on board would give Wonderland the best chance since his powers seem to tie in with there.  If we can get him viewed as an ally, that's more reason to keep the source intact, right?"

Kian has posed:
    The birdman nods, once.  "Yes, that's my biggest worry—that if something happens to Wonderland, it takes Terry with it.  I want him back so much, but not at the cost of his rhy'thar… sorry, his powers.  Or his life.  I don't know how deeply connected his actual existence is to Wonderland, or to the Cheshire Cat, and I am not willing to take the chance, and I think probably he isn't either."
    Kían does not blush, but he does smile, warmly and lopsidedly, at mention of Gar and Terry both.  "I don't think that will be a problem.  Gar and I already visit him when we can, in dreams.  And I'm sure it's really him, not just my own dream image of him.  He appeared in a way I did not expect, and took over some control of the dream himself.  I am satisfied that the Terry we speak to in dreams is Terry, and not the memory or wish of him.  But I'm used to that sort of thing.  I've had my dreams joined by someone I had not initially gone to bed with."
    He blinks in mild confusion.  "I think that phrase means something more on Earth than the simple act of just going to sleep alongside someone?"
    English idioms, what's an alien to do?

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    Mike's smile spreads, one side curling up a bit higher in amusement.  "You're right.  It means something a bit more than that to a lot of people.  Being intimate on a physical level."

Kian has posed:
    "Well, there's that too," Kían remarks casually, with a feather-rustling shrug.  "But I know Earth people are weird… nnh, I mean, Earth people have some preferences about what they do and do not think is acceptable to discuss.  I can not promise that to anyone who needs to join us to talk to Terry, of course."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    "I think if you change 'Gone to bed with' to 'Take a nap with' it might change the tone a bit," Mike muses.  "In the end you know what you mean.  And I think I'm getting off topic.  So getting back to that…."
    Mike glances back through the door to confirm the presence of the creature before looking back to Kian.  "Okay.  Uh.  Would you prefer I come with you two to speak with Terry or would you rather it be just the three of you?"

Kian has posed:
    "I will ask Gar.  I don't mind, but I can't speak for him," Kían says.  "I would like to have you there because I can't be sure I can explain it correctly, and this is something I really don't want to get wrong.  If it helps, I only need physical contact.  Hand in hand is enough, or whatever is comfortable.  I know Earth people are weird… nnh, have certain cultural beliefs about physical contact."
    Kían chuckles softly.  "Really, I do think it's weird… but it's not your planet's fault you're not all telepaths and can see each other with clarity.  But in any case, yes, all I need is some sort of physical contact, unless you can bring yourself to the dream."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    "I'm fine going in either way," Mike replies.  "If it bothers Gar I could try stepping in to the dream when it's in progress.  But going in your way gives me an idea of what you're working with.  Right now the being in physical contact aspect seems similar to how I bring people in.  Only the difference is not having to maintain contact on the dream side of things.  That seems like much more of an advantage in terms of mobility."
    The cap comes back off the bottle, allowing for Mike to get another sip of water.  He looks down to the container once he's done before looking back over to Kian.  "Thanks for coming all the way over here to talk to me about this."

Kian has posed:
    "Oh, it was a pleasant flight up the coast."  Kían spreads his wings, then re-folds them neatly.  "I've always loved flying over water, so it wasn't a problem.  And then I will get a pleasant flight home."
    He looks out over the beach, over the ocean, and closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath of the salt air.  "Thank you for asking me up.  This is the first time I've felt real hope in a while.  I needed that, maybe more than you know."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
    As Kian looks out to the scenery, Mike turns his head as well.  Shifting his weight to hs feet, he moves over to the balcony railing, resting the forearms upon his side.  The light is getting a little less but the remaining sunlight still contributes to the glistening effect of the water.
    "I think we all need this," Mike agrees.  "One way or another.  We're going to get him back."